SOUTH ASIAN PULSE RADIO HEADLINES JANUARY 12TH 2017

Infrastructure Minister Amarjeet Sohi who was on India tour in an interview with YMedia said Canada wants to build strong relations with India. When asked how he felt visiting India after being detained in that country for 21 months during the 1980s, Sohi said it was a different time and he has no grudge.

June 2017 deadline to exchange IRs 500 and IRs 1000 notes is set only for the NRIs. However, this does not apply to those who have Canadian, US or Australian citizenship, have OIC or PIO cards.

Justin Trudeau starts road trip in Ontario today. But it is being asked if he is meeting with common man or select people. His vacation with two senior Liberal members and their spouses on Bell Island, owned by Agha Khan is also being questioned.

Royal LePage has announced house prices may increase in 2017 but not at the pace of 2016. Last year it increased in Toronto but not other places. However, this year prices will keep rising in Toronto and Vancouver.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj warned Amazon that their officials will not be given visa to enter India for selling doormats with Indian tricolor. Amazon pulled back while sale of Indian flags as doormats in Canada have dropped.

Is Jagmeet Singh considering to run for Federal NDP leadership? Jagmeet Singh has not commented on the issue. He came in politics in 2011 but lost in the first election. He ran in provincial election later and for the first time won as NDP candidate from Brampton NDP. Jagmeet has said he has always faced challenges and will keep on doing the same.

During the first press conference Trump called CNN as fake news and shouted at its journalist. Trump told him not to be rude and did not give him the chance to ask question. This is the first time a head of state has spoken in this manner in USA against such a big news organisation.

Controversial secret dossier reveals several things about Trump in Russia but both have denied it calling it fake news.

Panamagate: Court in Pakistan has quizzed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s counsel about London flats money trail and Dubai factory. Makhdoom Ali Khan has denied all allegations leveled against the prime minister. A panel headed by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa has asked the prime minister’s lawyer to reply properly on these issues.

Pakistan has showed concerns on India’s missile program and called it a danger for the region. India recently test fired Agni V missile that has the capability of carrying nuclear warheads.

In a rare gesture, air chief marshal BS Dhanoa flew solo in MiG-21. During Kargil war also he initiated several operations for which he received Yudh Seva medal.

Khanderi, India’s second Scorpene-class submarine has been launched. The event was attended by several naval and other chiefs.

The BSF has submitted report on the allegation of providing sub-standard food to Home Ministry. Home Ministry is investigating all these allegations.

The Supreme Court of India has told Sahara chief to pay IRs600 crore by February 6 or go back to jail.

Congress has announced today 23 more names for Punjab elections. Most of these are relatives of sitting or former MLAs. Seventeen names are still pending. The party has nominated Karmjit Kaur Chaudhary, wife of Jalandhar MP Santok Singh Chaudhary, from Phillaur (SC), while from Samana, it is Rajinder Singh, son of senior vice president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC), who has been chosen to fight on the party ticket. Among the first-timers, Davinder Gubaya, son of sitting Akali MP Sher Singh Gubaya, has been nominated from Fazilka.

AAP has asked opposition to look at its rallies and has claimed they will form the next government in Punjab with people’s support.

Dr Ajay Gupta is the new AAP candidate from Amritsar Central after cancelling nomination twice from this constituency. Dr Ajay worked earlier for Congress. Darbari Lal who had come from Congress, has returned to that party after being ousted by AAP. He was removed after corruption allegations surfaced against him but Darbari Lal said he left on his own after AAP did not follow its principles.

Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal has filed his nomination from Jalalabad, while Parkash Singh Badal has done so from Lambi.

In the first Test, Bangladesh scored 154/3 in the first innings at stumps. New Zealand still has to bat.

In the third Test, South Africa scored 338/3 in the first innings. Sri Lanka still has to bat.